谏

諫

jiàn

verb #72,189

Meanings

1 to remonstrate; to admonish (a superior)
2 to advise against; to urge to reconsider

Characters

谏

jiàn

to remonstrate; to admonish

Examples

HSK 7-9

忠臣多次进谏皇帝。

Zhōngchén duōcì jìnjiàn huángdì.

The loyal minister repeatedly admonished the emperor.

HSK 7-9

忠言逆耳，良谏利行。

Zhōngyán nì'ěr, liáng jiàn lì xíng.

Honest advice grates on the ear but benefits one's conduct.

Tips

history

谏 specifically means a subordinate frankly correcting a ruler or elder. Imperial courts had a 谏官 (jiànguān), an official whose job was to criticize the emperor. The phrase 从谏如流 (cóngjiànrúliú) praises a ruler who takes advice as readily as water flows.

Components

radical

讠 yán

speech; words

The side speech radical 讠 (a left form of 言, speech) marks this as a kind of speaking: frank words of advice or criticism.

phonetic

柬 jiǎn

to select (phonetic)

柬 (jiǎn, to select) gives the sound, lightly shifted to jiàn. Its sense of choosing carefully also suits picking the right words to advise a ruler.

Stroke Order

谏 jiàn

谏